Cash-register.



No. 789,189. PATENTED MAY 9, 190-5.

' J. I. TOD.

CASH REGISTER.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 2.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS l.

PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

J. I. TOD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 10, 1902.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

q/viwe/mo No. 789,189. PATENTED MAY 9,1905.

J. I. TOD.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1902.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

1 1 a l n n 1 1 1 u 1 I a;

UNITED STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JONATHAN I. TOD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CASHREGISTER COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEXV JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEIVJERSEY.

CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,189, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed July 10, 1902. Serial No. 115,000.

To all 1071 0171, 710' many concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN 1. Ton, acitizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCaslrRegisters, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear,and

exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in cash-registers, and has moreparticular relation to improvements in printing devices for the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a cash-register with mechanismwhereby only such amounts as are desired will be printed upon therecord-strip.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the devices embodying myinvention applied to a machine of a type patented to Thomas Carney, No.683,877, October 1, 1901, the cabinet of the same and the counter beingremoved. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same with thecash-drawer omitted. Fig. 3 represents a central vertical sectionthrough a machine of the class mentioned with my invention appliedthereto, )art of the counter being omitted for clearness. Fig. Arepresents adetail front elevation,partly in section and partly brokenaway, of the shifting devices and the key-levers which cooperatetherewith; and Fig. 5 representsa detail end elevation, partly brokenaway,.of the counter.

In the aforesaid drawings, 5 represents the frame of the machine; 6, theamount-keys; 7, the special key; 8, the indicators; 9, the typewheels,and 9 the counter-wheels.

In the class of machine to whichI have applied my improvements the keysor key-levers 6 and 7 are pivoted upon a transverse shaft 10 and areformed at their rear ends with hook projections 11, whereby whendisplaced from normal position they may become coupled to the pivotedkey-couplerl2. The rear 15. These segments mesh with the counterpinionsand also with pinions 16, mounted upon a shaft 17, and a series ofnested sleeves 18, applied over the same. Upon the outer ends of thesleeves and shaft are mounted the printer-wheels 9, which are thus givenmovements corresponding to the movements of the registering frames andaccording to the values of the keys operated. The stems 8 of each of theaforesaid tablet-indicators 8 rest upon the rearward ends of theirrespective keys, so that as any key is operated the tablet-indicatorcorresponding thereto will be raised to display the amount of the keyoperated or the designation of the special key operated.

The key-coupler 12 is arranged to rotate a shaft 19 by means of aninterposed reciprocating rack-plate 20 and in a manner well known in theart. The outer end of the shaft 19 carries a cam 21, which is arrangedto engage a pivoted spring-pressed platen-lever, and thus depress andfinally release the same to permit it to make an impression upon thedetail-strip from the type-wheels. One trunnion end 22 of thekey-coupler is extended through the frame of the machine and is providedwith a rigid arm 23, in which is pivoted a strip-feeding pawl 24, thesame being spring-pressed to engage a feeding ratchet-wheel 25, fast tothe strip feeding roller 26.

The above-described constructions, as well as the inking and aliningdevices and the remainder of the printer, are substantially as shown anddescribed in the aforesaid patent, and reference is made to the same forany further detail description desired.

From the above description it will be seen that in a machine such asdescribed in the aforesaid patent each operation of the machine willcause the detail or record strip 27 to be fed forward one space. In thepresent instance, however, this feeding forward of the strip is to begoverned by and according to the keys operated, the keys to feed and thekeys not to feed beingpredetermined and the machine constructedaccordingly.

In the present instance and for sake of illustration I have shown themachine ar- 'in Figs. 3 and 4:.

ranged to print any amount over twenty cents l and any amount at allwhen the special quartkey is used. To accomplish this result, 1 arrangeto throw out the strip-feeding pawl and prevent the operation of theplaten-lever in the following manner: The outer end of the feeding-pawlQet is formed with a nose or lug 28, whereby it may be depressed at itsforward end, so that when reciprocatcd by the movement of thekey-coupler it will not engage the ratchet-wheel 25, but will playfreely under the same. The nose or lug 28 is so located as to be engagedby a hook-pawl 29, which is pivoted upon an arm 30 and is springpressedagainst the pawl 24. The arm 30 is fast to a rock-shaft 31, whichextends transversely through the machine, as shown The shaft isconnected at one end to the main frame by a coil-spring 32, whichsurrounds it and holds it in normal position, but permits it to berotated or moved longitudinally. The shaft 31 carries a series of rigidarms 33, having beveled upper ends and located under the dollar-keys andalso under the special key 7. \Vhen any one of the dollar-keys or thespecial key is depressed, it engages the bevel-arm beneath it and movesthe shaft 31 longitudinally. Those keys the amounts of which are not tobe printed when operated alone are arranged, when operated, to engageincline-arms 34, fast on shaft 31, and thus rock said shaft rearward tocause the hook-arm 29 to draw the pawl 24: downward, and thus render thelatter imoperative to effeet the feed of the record-strip. \Vhen one ofthe keys which cooperates with one of the arms 33 is operated togetherwith one of the keys over an arm 34, the shaft 31 is movedlongitudinally, so as to move the arms 34k out of alinement with theirkeys before said keys contact with them. The shaft 31 is thus not rockedand the normal operation of the printer is effected and theamountrecorded. By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the hookarm29 is sufliciently wide at its upper end to prevent it passing out ofengagement with the feeding-gawl A even when it is shifted laterally. lnorder to prevent the operation of the platen when the shaft 31 isrocked, I provide an arm 35, loosely mounted on the shaft, but splinedto the same, so as to follow its rotary movements, but not itslongitudinal movements. This arm 35 is pivotally connected to apitman-rod 36, which in turn is connected to a crank-arm 37, fast to ashort shaft 38, journaled in the main frame. The shaft 38 outside of theframe is provided with an eccentrically-n'iounted disk 39, which whenthe said shaft is rotated with the shaft 31 is adjusted to be struck bya rubber buffer 10 on the platen lever, and thus prevent the platen frommaking an impression. In the The twenty-five-cent key and all keysbetween that and the dollar-key cooperate with neither of the sets ofarms and their operation will therefore have no effect upon the shaft 31or the regular printing operation.

It follows from the above that any sale involving amounts of live, ten,fifteen, or twenty cents will not be printed unless combined with theoperation of the special quart-key or one of the dollar-keys. Thedesignation of the special key is arbitrary, and itmay represent anycharacter, quantity, or similar designation desired. It is also obviousthat when the sales involving the above-named amountkeys are notprinted, yet the operation of these amount-keys will nevertheless raisethe indicators to view and will also operate the registering mechanism.In order that the operation of this special key may leave a record ofits designation upon the detail-strip in connection with the amountregistered, 1 have provided an auxiliary printing wheel 11, which in thepresentinstance is provided with the characters Qt,corresponding tothose upon the special key. This printing-wheel is fast upon a sleeve42, which is mountedv upon the outer sleeve 18 and is provided at itsinner end, as best shown in Fig. 3, with an arm 43, formed at its lowerend with a segmental rack. This rack meshes with a similar rack formedon an arm H, which is journaled upon a transverse shaft 45. The arm 4 1is fast to an arm 4L6, which at its lower end is formed with an angularslot 47 for the reception of a pin 48, projecting laterally from thespecial key 7. The operation of this special key will therefore set thespecial typewheel to print the character designating said key.

As it is desirable at times to so adjust the parts that any of the keyswhen operated will cause a printing operation, .l provide means formoving the shaft 31 to the right and holding it in this positionirrespective of the operation of the keys. This means comprises asuitable thumb-nut 1-8, mounted in the frame near the right-hand end ofthe shaft and provided at its inner end with an eccentrically-mounteddisk 19. This disk cooperates with a stud 50, mounted in the shaft, sothat when the thumb-nut is rotated the shaft will be moved to the rightto its inoperative position and so held until the thumb-nut is againturned to its normal position. (Shown in Fig. 4.)

This machine is intended principally for restaurant or bar use and insuch cases where it is not desired to print the smaller amounts. If theproprietor should leave for a time, however, he can adjust the machineso that all the amounts of sales made during his absence will beprinted. .It will of course be understood that a suitable locked door isprovided in the cabinet whereby the proprietor may reach and operate thethumb-nut at will.

' and operated to throw out the pawl 2A before the key-coupler has beenoperated sufficiently to cause said pawl to turn the ratchet-wheel.

If so desired, the machine may be provided with a series of special keyssimilar to key 7 and representing the special transactionssuch as iCharge, Paid out, Received on account, &c.so that when any one of thesame is operated its character will be printed in connection with anyamount, whether the latter is on a cut-out key or not. This is necessarywhere it is desired to keep track on the detail-strip of all specialtransactions. I also contemplate omitting the paper-feeding pawl 28 andoperating the paper-feeding roller directly from the pawl 29. In thisapplication of my invention the arms 34 would be placed under the keysrepresenting the amounts that were to be printed. The arms 33 would beomitted altogether. In this construction the cam 39 would be positionedto normally prevent the operation of the hammer and would be moved bythe rocking of the shaft 31 to permit such operation. In such aconstruction as above contemplated the keys which are to be cut outwould have no efi'ect upon the shaft 31 at all.

I do not care to limit my invention to a keyoperated machine such asshown in the ac companying drawings, as the invention is also applicableto machines in which the keys simply act as stops, and some auxiliarymeans is employed to effect the registration and set the type-carriersaccording to the values of the keys operated.

It is customary in caslrregisters as developed in the present state ofthe art to have the keys perform several functionssuch, for example, asregistering, indicating, and printing either by their own operation orby the actuation of an operating member, and it is to be understood thatthe scope of my invention is not limited to constructions in which theprinting mechanism is disabled, as heretofore described, but alsoinclude constructions in which any other of such functions is preventedfrom being performed, and when in the appended claims I make referenceto mechanism controlled by the keys for performing certain functions itis to be understood that reference is made to such functions, as abovementioned, which are customarily performed by the keys in cash-registersas at present developed. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanism,including a series of amount-keys, of printing devices, and meanscontrolled by said amount-keys whereby when certain of the amount-keysare operated the printer will be actuated and when certain other of theamount-keys are operated the printer will not be actuated.

2. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys and a special key, of printingdevices, and means controlled by said keys for preventing operation ofthe printing devices when certain of the amount-keys are operated, butnot preventing such operation when certain other of the amount-keys orthe special key is operated.

3. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer including a platen and astrip-feeding device, and means controlled by said amount-keys wherebywhen certain of the keys are operated the platen and strip-feedingdevice will be rendered inoperative. I

4:. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer including a platen,means whereby when certain of the keys are operated the platen will berendered inoperative, and devices for rendering said means inoperativeirrespective of the regular operation of the machine.

5. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer including a movableplaten, and means controlled by said amount-keys whereby when certain ofthe keys are operated the platen will be rendered inoperative.

6. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys and a special key, of a printer, meansfor preventing the operation of the printer when certain of theamount-keys are operated but not preventing such operation when theremainder of the amount-keys or the special key is operated, and devicesfor rendering said means inoperative irrespective of the regularmovements of the machine.

7. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a register, operated by said keys,a printer also operated by said keys, and means operated by a number ofsaid keys for rendering the printer inoperative in connection therewithwithout affecting the operation of the register.

8. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer including a platen and astrip-feeding device, a shaft carrying arms arranged to be engaged bysaid keys and thereby operated, and means mounted on said shaft forrendering the platen and stripfeeding device inoperative.

9. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer having a stripfeedingroller, a feeding-pawl for said roller, and means operated by a numberof the keys for throwing the feeding-pawl out of operative position.

10. In a casl1-register,the con'ibination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer having a movable platen,means operated by a number of the keys for rendering the plateninoperative and 7 arranged in relation to the remaining keys so thatwhen operated thereby said means will be moved out of operative relationwith the first-mentioned keys.

11. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer including a pivotedplaten-lever, a stop device arranged to be moved into the path of saidlever, and means operated by a number of the keys and connected to saidstop device.

12. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, indicators coacting with said keys, aprinter including a movable platen, means operated by a number of thekeys for rendering the platen inoperative without affecting theindicators.

13. In a cash-register the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer, a transverse shaftarranged to be moved longitudinally by a number of the keys, and rockedby other keys, and means for controlling the printer from the shaft.

14. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanismincluding a series of amount-keys, of a printer, a transverse shaftarranged to be moved longitudinally by a number of the keys and rockedby other keys, means for controlling the printer from the shaft, andmeans for locking the shaft in its longitudinally-adjusted position.

15. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys, ofprinting devices, means controlled by a number of said keys forpreventing the operation of the printing devices when said keys areoperated alone and other means controlled by the remaining keys forpreventing the operation of the first-mentioned means whereby when thefirst of keys is operated in connection with the second set the printingdevices will be operated.

16. Ina cash-register, the combination with a series of keys, printingdevices connected with said keys for printing the designations thereof,and controlling means for the printing devices operated by certain ofthe keys when said keys are operated without any of the remaining keys.

17. In a cash-register the combination with a series of keys, printingdevices, means operated by certain of said keys for controlling theprinting devices and means for rendering the controlling meansinoperative at will upon the operation of the machine.

18. In a cash-register the combination with said keys, a printer alsocontrolled by said keys and means operated by a number of said keys forrendering the printer inoperative withoutal'l'ecting the operation ofthe register.

19. In a cash-register the combination with a series of amount-keys, ofa register, a printer and means operated by certain of the keys forthrowii'ig out the printer.

20. In a wish-register, the combination with a series of keys arrangedin groups, of printing devices, a member common to and moved by any ofthe keys of certain of said groups, with provisions cooperating with thekeys of one group for preventing the operation of said printing devices,and provisions cooperating with the keys of another group for permittingthe operation of the printer regardless of the operation of the formergroup.

21. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys arrangedin groups, of printing devices, and a common member given a certainmovement by the keys of one group and a different movement by the keysof another group, with provisions whereby one of said movements willdisable the printing devices and the other of said movements willprevent the disabling of the printing devices.

2 In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys arranged ingroups, meehanism controlled thereby for performing certain functions,means controlled by the keys of one group for preventing the performanceof one ofsaid functions while permittingthe performance of the remainingfunctions, and means controlled by the keys of another group forpreventing the operation of the first-mentioned means, when keys of bothof said groups are used conjointly at one operation of the machine.

23. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys arrangedin groups, mechan ism controlled thereby for perfm'ming certainfunctions, means actuated by the operative movement of the keys of onegroup for preventing the performance of one of said functions, whilepermitting the performance of the remaining functions, and meansactuated by the operative movement of the keys of another group forrendering the first-mentioned means ineffective, when keys of bothgroups are simultaneously operated.

24;. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys arrangedin groups, mechanism controlled thereby for perforn'iing certainfunctions, means controlled by the keys of one group for preventing theperformance of one of said functions, means controlled by the keys ofanother group for rendering the first-mentioned means ineffective, andhand-manipulative means for permanently rendering the li rstmentionedmeans ineffective.

25. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys, of arock-sha ft having a lateral movement, aset of projections formed onsaid a series of keys, of a register controlled by l shaft and arrangedto be engaged by certain of 3 the keys to rock the shaft; a set ofbeveled projections formed on said shaft and arranged to be engaged byother keys to shift said shaft laterally, type carriers connected withthe keys, a platen, a stop projection for the platen, connectionsbetween said rock-shaft and said stop projection, a feeding device forthe detailstrip, and connections between said rock-shaft and saidfeeding device.

26. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys dividedinto groups and a printer mechanism cooperating therewith, of

means controlled by the keys of one group to' prevent the operation ofsaid printer; and means controlled by keys of another group to disablesaid preventing means when keys of both groups are used conjointly,whereby in JONATHAN I. TOD.

WVitnesses:

JAs. W. DUNCAN, CORNELIUS BARRY.

